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POPSNew spaceship force field makes Mars trip possible Now this has been confirmed in the laboratory in the UK using apparatus originally built to work on fusion. By recreating in miniature a tiny piece of the Solar Wind, scientists working in the laboratory were able to confirm that a small "hole" in the Solar Wind is all that would be needed to keep the astronauts safe on their journey to our nearest neighbours. Dr. Ruth Bamford, one of the lead researchers at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, said, "These initial experiments have shown promise and that it may be possible to shield astronauts from deadly space weather".
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POPSBSG PC A computer tower designed like everyone's favorite battlestar, the Galactica! Hey wait, didn't Admiral Adama mandate no computer networks? ;)
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POPSA Robot Controlled by Self Organizing Biological Neural Net "Within a week we get some spontaneous firings and brain-like activity" similar to what happens in a normal rat -- or human -- brain, he added. But without external stimulation, the brain will wither and die within a couple of months. "Now we are looking at how best to teach it to behave in certain ways," explained Warwick. To some extent, Gordon learns by itself. When it hits a wall, for example, it gets an electrical stimulation from the robot's sensors. As it confronts similar situations, it learns by habit.
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POPSFuture MacBooks? CW: Future MacBooks Could Dispense with Mouse Button by John Martellaro, 2:10 PM EDT, July 30th, 2008 A new kind of trackpad for the next generation MacBooks, if speculation is correct, could lead to the elimination of the classic mouse button, replaced by multi-touch gestures, according to Seth Weintraub at Computerworld on Wednesday. Referring to speculation about a new kind of trackpad for the next generation of MacBooks, Mr. Weintraub wondered about the "death of the mouse button." The author pointed to a YouTube video (below) that shows how Mac OS X Leopard can be controlled by classic iPhone gestures. http://www.macobserver.com/article/2008/07/30.9.shtml
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POPSHomo roboticus How to build a brain From the start, the group knew that sensitivity, dexterity, and strength were not enough. They had to provide the biomimetic arm with a high degree of intelligence. Their ultimate goal is to create a microchip that will allow the arm to carry out tasks requiring human-level skills in a real-world setting. The researchers are currently using software to simulate important aspects of how the cerebellum processes and integrates information. “It’s the first neural-network-based controller that can control the dynamics of a robotic system in its full operational range,”
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POPSMagnet puts tongue in the drivers seat The nerve in the tongue is directly connected to the brain, and is one of the things that is least likely to be damaged in spinal cord injuries. Considering the way people can talk, it is likely to be as, or more maneuverable than the hands. The phrase 'Actions speak louder than words' could take on a whole new meaning.
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POPSBillionaire Indicted On Drug Charges Billionaire and Broadcom co-founder Henry Nicholas was indicted today for stock-options backdating. Not a big surprise, since there had been a very public investigation for a while. What is surprising is another indictment unsealed today that alleges Nicholas was heavily involved with illegal drugs like ecstasy and cocaine. Nicholas allegedly called them "party favors" and used them to drug industry execs and Broadcom customers. One bizarre story from the indictment: it alleges Nicholas distributed his party favors during a private flight. The indictment says that so much pot smoke filled the air, the pilot was forced to put on his oxygen mask.
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POPSThe Skycar Will Be Operated Completely By Computer And Guided By GPS
The four-seat Skycar is powered by eight rotary engines that are housed inside four metal housings, called nacelles, on the side of the vehicle. There are two engines in each nacelle so that if one of the engines in one of the nacelle fails, the other engine can sustain flight. The engines lift the craft with 720 horsepower, and then thrust the craft forward. The Wankel engine replaces pistons of a conventional engine with a single triangular rotor spinning inside an oval-shaped chamber, which creates compression and expansion as the rotor turns. There are three combustion chambers in the Wankel, with a crankshaft between them. To make the Skycar safe and available to the general public, it will be completely controlled by computers using Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, which Moller calls a fly-by-wire system. In case of an accident, the vehicle will release a parachute and airbags, internally and externally, to cushion the impact of the crash.
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POPSChips for optical quantum computing Physicists at Bristol University in the United Kingdom have demonstrated the first logic gates on a silicon chip that can process individual photons. This brings quantum computing, based upon manipulating single photons a step closer to reality.
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POPSEmotiv's new brain-computer interface Emotiv Systems recently unveiled a brain/computer interface system with a helmet and software applications. The Project Epoc system can move objects based on a gamer's thoughts, reflect facial expressions, and respond to the excitement or calm the gamer mentally exerts.
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